In recent years, a lot of concern has come regarding government ‘spying’ on mobile activity. It has now become a way of life, knowing that the government can hear whatever you say on phone if need be. Everyone knows their cellphone activities are being monitored, and some of us have come to accept it. However, UCC now wants the Internet activity regulated too, well at least that’s how one can interpret their recent directive.
In accordance with Section 5 of the Uganda Communications Act 2013, the Commission is mandated to monitor, inspect, license, supervise, control and regulate all communications services. The Commission is also mandated to set standards and enforce compliance relating to content.
What are Communication Services, Content and Data according to UCC?
Section 2 of the Act defines “Communications services” to mean services consisting of the dissemination or interchange of audio, visual or data content using postal radio or telecommunications media, data communication and includes broadcasting. Content is defined to include any sound, text, still picture, moving picture or other audio visual representation, tactile representation or any combination of the proceeding which is capable of being created, manipulated, stored, retrieved or communicated electronically. Data is defined to mean the electronic representation of information in any form.
From the above its means UCC’s definition of content and data includes but not limited to YouTube videos, Tweet post, Facebook Live videos, blog articles, podcasts, among others.
The commission hence, under the Uganda Communications Act 2013 will start regulating the provision of any services that involve the communication to the public of any content, whether by way of audio, video, sound, still or moving pictures or a combination thereof.
UCC released a public notice on their website is aimed at targeting all online data communication service providers, including online publishers (may include blogs), social media influencers with a huge online following, websites, online news platforms, online radio and television operators are therefore advised to apply and obtain authorization from the Uganda Communications Commission with immediate effect. From 2nd of April 2018, enforcement activities such all blocking access to defiant and non-compliant providers’ websites and streams.
Some questions may arise, for example; do you need authorization from UCC before you go live on Facebook? Do you have to have permission from UCC before you make a certain post?
Future Spying & Gagging
While this may cause a rant on social media about the privacy of the common citizen, the government needs to monitor the Internet just as they need to set speed limits on the public roadways. Without some monitoring and regulation, the population would run amok and be a threat to each other. There is plenty of sick and twisted content out there already and someone needs to intervene.
What are you hiding? Are you a terrorist? If you want something to be private, don’t put it on the internet! Once something is on the internet, it never goes away. They are not looking to see what your plans are for Saturday, they are searching for anything that looks suspicious to keep our country safe! Some pundits suspect that regulation will used by government to gag online broadcasters from posting sensitive information especially if they portray the government in a negative light hence gagging some of the online publications in one way or another.
Whereas the government can’t let the Internet become an archaic place where companies and wrongdoers are out to do as they please, they have to respect a certain level of citizens’ privacy as well. The problem is finding a common ground where data can be monitored without privacy intrusion. That’s where people are okay with catching the bad guys but not really okay being monitored.
